Patch-applying mechanism for envelope machines



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' Patented Jan. 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. SHEPPARD, F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS,.ASSIGNOR TO SHEPPARD ENVELOPE COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

PATCH-APPLYING MECHANISM FOR ENVELOPE MACHINES.

Application filed July 24, 1922. Serial No. 576,945.

To all in 7mm it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SHEP- mnn, of Worcester, in the county ofVVorcester and State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Patch-Applying Mechanism for Envelope Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of patch-applying mechanism in which the patch is fed and .cut off from a roll supported in the machine, and is immediately applied to the envelope blank which has been properly gummed toreceive it. It consists in certain details of construction described below.

My invention will be understood by reference to the drawings, in which it is shown in its preferred form.

Figure 1 is an elevation of mechanism embodying my invention taken from the front or operative side of the machine, the envelope gumming and folding mechanism being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the patch roll, etc, the mechanism in this view being supposedly mounted above the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the mechanism looking toward the right of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is av section on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail on line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a similar section taken after the patch has been cut from the roll, showing, also. the mechanism for operating the knife.

In the ordinary envelope machine, the gumming die descends on a pile of blanks, gums the top blank and lifts it because of its adhesion to the gummed surface, deposits it on a carriage which delivers it to the folding mechanism. The patch is usually.

applied between the gumming and folding operation to a blank which has a suitable opening in it, around which gum has been applied by the gummer. Often the carriage is stopped while the patch is being applied. In my machine the blank is in motion during the patch-applying operation so that in a days run much time is savedby my 1mmovement and the daily product increased.

As my mechanism may be applied to any envelope machine of the general type above referred to, I shall only describe in detail those parts which I believe tobe new with me and their operation.

1 is the bed or table forming part of the frame on which the envelope machine is Supported, and 2 are the tracks supported on the table by. means not shown. 3 is a portion of the carriage which is provided with hooks 1 to engage the blank, the parts 3 running in the tracks 2. The construction and operation of these parts will be understood by all skilled in the art and therefore need no further description.

On the table 1 are mounted uprights. The upright 7 carries a short shaft 6 having at each end a pinion 7, 8. The pinion 7 connects with a source of power. The pinion 8 is in mesh with the gear 9 on the end of a shaft 10 supported in suitable supported bearings 110 and running across to the other side of the table where it carries a gear 12.

is a reel carrying the roll of patch paper 16. The reel 15 is mounted on a shaft 17 which rests on supporting rolls 18. These supporting rolls 18 are mounted to overlap (see Figs. 2 and 3) on studs 19 carried in bearings 20 on uprights 21. These uprights 21 carry side arms 22 which are bolted to crossbars 23 which form part of the usual envelope machine construction, and are carried by posts 2% mounted on the table 1.

To adjust the friction on the patch roll, the shaft 17 has rolls 25 which lie in yoke pieces 26 mounted on screws 27 the upper ends of which turn freely therein, the lower ends passing through threaded openings in lugs 28, so that if desired the frictional tension on the reel may be adjusted. This may be desirable when the weight of the patch paper roll-is considerable as when a fresh roll is placed on the machine.

In the form of my invention shown the patch strip runs to the rolls 29 and 30 which are supported as follows: Hangers 31 are attached to plates 32 forming the lower ends of the uprights 21. These hangers have rearwardly-projecting arms 33 and 3 1, the arms 33 being pivoted thereto. Between the arms 34 is mounted the roll 30. This roll is given a positive intermittent motion and. on it the patch paper rests. The

roll 29 is so mounted between arms 33 that it exerts pressure on the aper and keeps it in feeding contact with t e roll 30.

The shaft carrying the roll 30 has a pinion 35 at one end which meshes with a gear 36 on stud 37 projecting from the hanger 31. The gear 36 has a hub 41 which also carries a ratchet 38 which is engaged by a pawl 39 pivotally mounted on' an arm 40 carried by the hub 41 also on stud 37. A connecting rod' 42 connects arm 40 with an arm 43 mounted to swing on a stud 44 and carrying a cam roll 45 which rests on a double-acting cam 46 on shaft 10. Every rotation therefore of the shaft 10 causes the pawl 39 to move the ratchet a given distance twice and a gear 36 a corresponding amount, each movement giving the roll 30 a turn sufficient to feed the required length of patch paper. 1

To draw off a certain amount of patch paper from the supply roll so that too much work will not be required of the feed rolls, I provide two feeding arms 47 one at each end of the machine carrying a roll 48 between their upper ends. These arms are attached to the shaft 49 which is mounted in brackets 50 projecting from the front of the posts 24. The work of this roll is illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and movement is given to it by means of an arm 51 attached to the shaft 49 and connected by a loose connection with the link 52 which connects with the lever 53. This lever 53 carries near its outer end a cam roll 54 which rests on a cam 55 on shaft 10. This cam rocks the lever 53 and gives a forward-and-back swing to the arms 47 and roll 48. When the end of the patch strip 16 is held tight as below described this movement of the roll 48 will draw paper off the magazine roll. This mechanism is useful in some cases, but is not necessary because the patch can usually be pulled off by the feed rolls without assistance.

To the forward extremity of the lever 53 is attached a connecting rod 56 which is connected by a link 57 with a shaft 58 which runs through both hangers 31; On the shaft 58 are mounted two curved arms 59 and on each hanger 31 is mounted a block 600 in which are ways 60. These ways 60 are on opposing sides of the two hangers and a knife holder 61 extends across the machine and slides in the knife ways 60. To it is attached the knife blade 62. Each knife holder carries a yoke piece 610v which straddles a pin and a link 631 connects the knife holder 62 with one of the arms 59 so that the rocking of the shaft 58 will reciprocate the knife blade. I prefer to give the knife edge a flat V shape in front elevation as at 621 so that it will cut the paper by a double shear cut.

The strip of patch paper after leaving the feed rolls 29, 30 passes between clamping plates comprising a feed plate 63, a top plate 641 and a clamping plate 64. The feed plate and top plate 641 are attached to the hangers 31. The feed plate is wider than the paper strip 16. The top plate 641 and clamping plate 64 are of similar width and are directly above the plate 63. The clamping plate carries a hub 640 at each end through each of which passes a pin 65 the lower end of which passes through both the feed and clamping plates outside the path of travel of the paper strip. These pins are attached to the hubs 640 and move the clamping plate sufficiently to clamp and release the paper strip. Lugs 66 attached to the hangers 31 guide the pins, and between the lugs 66 and the hubs 640 are springs 661 which normally hold the clampin plate against the feed plate thus clamping the paper at the moment when the knife descends to cut the paper. As the knife rises the yoke pieces 610 striking the heads of the pins lift them and the clamping plate 64 sufficiently as the knife reaches its topmost position to release the pressure on the paper. When the knife is moved down the springs 661 are released and tend to force the plates 64. into clamping position. It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the arms 59 and thepins 65 are in the same vertical plane, and from Fig. 6 that the heads of the pins 65 are in contact with the arms 59 when the knife is cutting. This relation of these parts ensures the clamping of the paper in case the spring should accidentally become inoperative. At the moment the paper strip is being pressed between the plates and the patch is being cut the roll 48. if used, operates to draw off paper from the magazine so that the feed rolls which are stationary at this moment will have plenty of slack to draw from when they next act.

The knife blade 62 registers with the slot 67 formed in the feed plate and the space between the top plate and the clamping plates, and through this space and slot the blade passes in cutting off the patch. The outer edges of the paper are cut first and because of the shape of the blade the paper is.sheared oif progressively to the middle.

WVhen the paper has been fed between the plates 63. 64 its forward end projects into slots 77 in the periphery of the rolls 68 mounted on shaft 691. Each of these rolls forms part of a hub 678 which also carries a feed roll 69 to co-operate with roll 681 in feeding the envelope blanks. The lower surface of the rolls 68, 69 also co-operates with supporting rolls 671, 681 in applying the patch to the envelope blank, their opposing surfaces being substantially in the plane of the top of the carriage 3. The rolls 671, 681 are on the shaft 10. The shaft 691, which carries rolls 68 and 69, is mounted in arms 70 which swing on stud 44. The purpose of causing the shaft 691 to swing is so that the rolls 68 by which the patch is grasped after it is cut from the strip, may carry it to the envelope blank and atiix it thereto and then return for another patch. The shaft is governed in its swinging motion about the stud l-l-by the cam 71 mounted on the shaft 10 and engaging the cam roll 72 mounted in arms 73 hanging from shaft 691.

Power is applied to rotate the shaft 691 from the gear 12 through idler T4 and gear 75 \Ylllt'll runs free on shaft 4.4. and is in mesh with the gear 76 on shaft 691. This construction allows the shaft to be moved to carry rolls 68 and 69 to and from rolls (371 and 681 and also keeps the shaft 691 in constant rotation.

In each slot 77 is a finger 78 which has a slight movement therein, sufficient to grip and release the front edge of the patch 16 at the proper time.

Two rockable rods 80 are mounted one on each side of the machine The outer ends of these rods are supported in lugs 81 connected by the shaft 691. The rods extend toward each other through hubs 678 and each is surrounded by a spring 8 attached at one end to the hub 678 and at the other to the lug 81 so as to hold its rod 80 normally in a predetermined position. On the inner end of each rod is mounted an arm 79 earrying at its end a finger 78 which projects into the slot 77 in the adjacent roll 68. The rear end of each rod 80 beyond the lug'8l has a finger 82 which rests against a cam 83 through which the shaft 691 passes, these cams being fixedly attached to the lower ends of arms 86. The upper end of each arm 86 is connected by a link 87 with an arm 88 mounted on the stud -14 to turn thereon. This construction allows the shaft 691 to rotate within the cam 83 and to be moved toward and from the feed plate by the cams 71, and as it rotates and is so moved the fingers 82 engage the cams 83 so that at the proper time the fingers 7 8 clamp the patch against the opposing surface of the slot 77 andlater release it.

As the rolls 671, 68 rotate and the cams 71 lift the shaft 691 the slots 77 register with the front opening between the plates 63, 64 at the moment the patch is cut ofi from the paper strip. At this moment the fingers are in open position to receive the patch and the end of the patch, which is sufticiently long for the purpose. reaches into the slots 77. The cam 83 releases the fingers 78. which clamp the end of the patch against the wall of the slot, by the action of the spring 84. The rolls 68 continue their rotation drawing out the patch from between the plates 63', 64, and the cam 71 releases the shaft 69 so that it is carried away from the plates 63, 64 into position to feed the patch to the moving en,-

the heads of the pins they lift the pins enough to lift the clamping plat 64 so that the-fingers 78 and rolls 671 may draw out the patch. itVhile the paper is clamped between the plates 63, 64 slack is drawn oil: from the paper roll on reel 15 by the feed roll 48 and after the plates 63, 64 have separated, the feed rolls 39 and 30 feed the strip sufficiently to provide paper for the next patch.

It will be seen that the rolls 68 serve not only to carry the patch to the envelope blank on the carriage, but as the speed of rotation of the rolls 68 is such that their peripheral speed is equal to the speed of travel of the carriage, they will deliver the patch to the blank so that it will lie flat thereon and may be pressed against it at those points where the rims of the rolls engage the patch. Thus the patch will be applied while the carriage is being moved at its usual rate of speed to carry the gummed blank from the gunnning mechanism to the folding mechanism. Mechanism for thus applying the patch to the blank is I believe new with me. It is evident to one skilled in the art that this result may be otherwise secured, and that many details of the mechanism described above may be changed without departing from fundamentals of my invention.

I have shown and described above only my mechanism for applying a patch and the carriage upon which a gummed blank is caused to take by well known means a blank from the gummer to the folder. Gnmming and folding mechanisms, and carriages and means for moving them are so well known in the art that it is deemed unnecessary to illustrate them as they form no part of my invention, which invention and application will be fully understood without further description.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a machine of the kind described. a constantly-reciprocating carriage. to carry an envelope blank, and means for applying a patch to said blank while said carriage is moving reciprocally.

2. In a machine of the kind described, a constantly-rociprocating envcl u e blank carrier. and an interniittently-operating patch applying mechanism located above the blank carrier and adapted to apply a patch to the loo blank carried thereby while said carrier is moving with said blank.

3. In a machine of the kind described, an envelope blank carrier and meansfor reciprocating it at a constant rate of speed between the gumming and the folding mecha nism, means for cutting a patch from a strip, means for carrying the patch after it has been cut off to the blank on said carrier and applying the patch to the blank-while the carricris in motion. v

4. A patclrapplying mechanism comprising a reel to hold a paper roll, clamping plates, means for causing said clamping plates intermittently to clamp the free end of said paper roll, a knife and means for reciprocating it to cut a patch from said free end of said roll, and means for applying said patch to a moving envelope blank, said means comprising a rotary member having fingers located and adapted to seize said patch after it has been cut and carry it to the moving blank and roll it into place thereon.

5. In a machine of the kind described, a

patch-feeding mechanism, a rotary member having fingers adapted to seize the patch from said patch feed, a constantly-reciprocating blank carrier, said rotary member beinglocated with relation to the plane of travel of said carrier whereby it will lay a patch upon a blank carried by said carrier and roll it in contact therewith.

6. A patch-applying mechanism comprising a reel to hold a paper roll, clamping plates, means for causing said clamping plates intermittently to clamp the free end of said paper roll, and means for drawing slack from said paper roll, operable while said clamping plates are clamping the free end of said paper roll.

7. A patch-applying mechanism comprising a reel to hold a paper roll, clamping plates, means for causing said clamping plates intermittently to clamp the free end of said paper roll, and means for drawing slack from said paper roll, operable while said clamping plates are clamping the free end of said paper roll, in combination with feed rolls located between said slack-drawing means and said clamping plates and means for operating said rolls intermite tently.

8. In a patch-applying machine, clamping plates and means for operating them whereby they will intermittently clamp a patch strip, and a reciprocating knife adapted to cut a patch from said patch strip, said plates being provided with a slot and said knife being mounted to register with said slot and pass downward therethrough, and means for causing said knife to pass through said slot while said plates are in clamping relation in combination with a patch strip roll to supply a patch strip to said clamping plates, and means located between said roll and said plates todraw off slack from said roll operable while said clamping plates are in clamping relation.

9. In a patch-applying machine, a patch feed plate, a spring-controlled clamping plate to clamp a patch strip on said feed plate and means for supporting it, a reciprocating knife holder carrying a knife adapted to cut a atch from said patch strip, said clamping p ate being normally in clamping position, and means carried by said knife holder adapted to engage and lift said clamping-plate-supporting means upon the upward movement of said knife.

10. In a machine of the kind described, a paper roll having a shaft and means for supporting said shaft' comprising uprights, supporting rolls mounted therein and overlapping to receive said shaft between them, and means for adjusting the frictional contact of said shaft on said rolls comprising yoke pieces located one on each side of said paper roll, means for adjusting the vertical height of said yoke pieces, said shaft having means to engage said yoke pieces whereby the weight of said roll on said supporting rolls may be adjusted.

11. In a machine of the kind described, means for clamping the paper strip while it is being cut, comprising a feed plate and a presser plate, means for supporting said feed plate, a reciprocating knife holder carrying a knife blade and means for reciproeating it, guides in said feed plate support in which said knife holder reciprocates, lu on said supports, pins passing through said lugs and attached to said presser plate, and means attached to said knife holder and adapted to engage and lift said pin and said presser plate.

12. In a machine of the kind described, means for clamping the paper strip while it is being cut, comprising a feed plate and a presser plate, means for supporting said feed plate, a reciprocating knife holder carrying a knife blade and means for reciprocating it, guides in said feed plate sup-port in which said knife holder reciprocates, lugs on said supports, pins passing through said lugs and attached to said presser plate, and means attached to said knife holder and adapted to engage and lift said pin and said presser plate, said knife holder reciprocating means comprising a rock shaft, an arm connecting said rock shaft and said holder and located to engage said pin on its downward stroke and force said presser plate-to clamp said paper strip.

13. In a machine of the kind described, a stationary patch feed, a patch-carrying roll having a slot therein to receive one edge of the patch, spring-controlled means for clamping said patch edge in said slot, a shaft carrying said roll, a stationary cam mounted concentric with said shaft and adapted to engage said patch-clamping means and cause it to release said patch when said roll is in said patch-applying position.

14. In a machine of the kind described, a stationary patch feed, a patch-carrying roll having a slot therein to receive one edge of the patch, spring-controlled means for clamping said patch edge in said slot, a shaft carrying said roll a stationary cam mounted concentric with said shaft and adapted to engage said patch-clamping means and cause it to release said patch when said roll is in said patch-applying position, and swinging means for carrying said shaft whereby said roll will be moved from a patch-receiving position to an envelope-feeding and patch-delivering position.

15. A machine of the kind described comprising an envelope blank carriage, a patch roll, a patch cutter, a roll located below the path of the blank carried by the blank carriage; and a swinging patch feed roll adapted to receive the patch after it has been cut and carry it to patch-applying position and co-operate with the roll located beneath the blank in rolling the patch into position on the blank.

WILLIAM H. SHEPPARD. 

